Advances in Mineral Metabolism (AIMM) is an annual meeting which combines presentations on basic and clinical bone biology in a format that provides extensive opportunity for open discussion. The AIMM meeting has been embraced by a broad spectrum of bone biologists and clinicians who have gathered annually for over 20 years to participate in the high quality discussions of bone and mineral metabolism which embody the spirit of AIMM. One of the major goals of the AIMM meeting is to provide opportunities for young scientists to interact closely with more established researchers in a non-intimidating, intimate, and interactive venue that fosters creative scientific exchange. This is accomplished through a number of mechanisms: first, the AIMM/ASBMR John Haddad young investigator awards are presented at the AIMM meeting and awardees discuss their work within the planned scientific sessions; second, the program includes an open basic science session and an open clinical science session in which young investigators are encouraged to present recent findings; third, each session includes a lengthy question-answer period where participation of young investigators is prominent; fourth, the recently introduced meet-the-professor sessions provide unique opportunities for small-group interaction that particularly benefit scientists-in-training and young faculty. Finally, the format of the meeting where attendees are together most of the time and that includes a long midday break for informal discussions has been shown to be a successful way to increase interaction. For the 2008 AIMM meeting, young faculty members and trainees represent over 60% of selected speakers. The 2008 AIMM meeting will include sessions on cell fate determination; in vivo analysis of the marrow mesenchymal lineage and the interaction with hematopoiesis; the bone-kidney axis; genetics of bone disease; treatment-induced bone loss; novel paracrine and coupling factors; and epigenetics of bone and cartilage. The purpose of this proposal is to request funds to help defray the costs of the meeting and support registration and travel costs for young investigators and junior faculty (other than Haddad awardees) that attend the meeting. These funds will aid immensely in allowing AIMM to fulfill its function to stimulate further creativity in bone and cartilage research and to provide young investigators with a tribune to promote their talent. Advances in Mineral Metabolism (AIMM) strives to: Act as a premier forum for clinical and basic research into the calcified tissues; Facilitate and encourage interactions between scientists working in the area of calcified tissue research; Provide opportunities for young scientists to interact closely with more established researchers; Hold highly interactive scientific meetings, and so disseminate and exchange results from studies and research (Participation to the meeting provides continuing medical education credits). [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]